Daniel Russell knows how to find the answers to questions you can't get to with a simple Google query. In his weekly Search Research column, Russell issues a search challenge, then follows up later in the week with his solution—using whatever search technology and methodology fits the bill. This week's challenge: Find that monument!

I'm in Washington DC this week, chaperoning a group of 8th graders around this town full of remarkable sites, remarkable people, and remarkable stories.

One of the more unusual stories I heard in the past few days was about a small(-ish) monument to a man who forever changed the way naval warfare would be conducted.

I was told I'd enjoy reading his story, if only I could find the monument.

All the information I was given, though, is that the monument to him is located in a tear-drop shaped traffic island somewhere near the Lincoln Memorial on the Mall in Washington DC.

Today's question:

Who is the man commemorated by the statue in the tear-drop shaped island? And once you've figured that out, can you figure out what two navy-changing inventions he's known for?

For extra credit, what is the unexpected connection between this sculpture and the US Navy's highest decoration?

As is our usual practice, be sure to let us know how long it took you to solve the challenge, and how you solved it!

Daniel M. Russell studies the way people search and research—an anthropologist of search, if you will. You can read more from Russell on his SearchReSearch blog, and stay tuned for his weekly challenges (and answers) here on Lifehacker.